TheNiche Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 This may not be the appropriate forum for an economics lesson, but can somebody explain why the marginal costs of each additional floor increases exponentially? In my business (midstream energy) we build plants. The cost to mobilize on site almost always justifies building bigger. Sorry if this is too far off topic.There are numerous factors that drive construction costs up as a building becomes increasingly vertical. The pilings need to be sunk deeper, need to be larger, and the structural members need to be stronger. Different techniques and materials are used at different thresholds, per the instruction of a structural engineer.Bear in mind that if you put 50 stories on the ground, then you only have so much weight and so many vector forces that have to be built for. If you put a 50-story building on top of another 50 story building, then not only does the top 50 have to be able to withstand the same downward force vectors, but it has to perform better in high winds because the building as a whole has a higher center of mass and will tend to sway more. Simultaneously, the bottom 50 floors have to support much greater downward forces.Safety is a factor. It is always riskier to have people working in the sky; they are compensated accordingly. Likewise, while the building is under construction and its envelope is not sealed, it is more subject to catastrophic failure, either from human error or from natural disaster. Although unlikely, if it occurs, it is worse to have lots of already-completed floors underneath those that were being worked on up top and that were more likely to fail. This is reflected in commercial property insurance rates, or if the general contractor, an engineering firm, or another party is indemnified, then it is reflected in their costs.Larger cranes and heavier-duty equipment cost more to buy or lease.Lower parts of the building tend to have smaller leaseable floorplates because elevator and service shafts take up so much room. At certain levels, skyscrapers have sky lobbies to serve elevator transfers; these account for common area that the building owner isn't going to be compensated for and that a shorter building could forgo.The developer also recognizes an opportunity cost because the structure won't be physically occupied for a much longer period of time than if they were building a smaller building, but is still making massive financial outlays with lots of associated interest expenses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALMSP Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 has anyone heard of anything new regarding this?? Has Brookfield pulled back from this proposal??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 has anyone heard of anything new regarding this?? Has Brookfield pulled back from this proposal???We've got a seperate thread on this one. They'll break ground when they've got it 50% preleased; it's a 50-story structure, as proposed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALMSP Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 where is the thread??? and when did it get bumped up to 50?? i thought it was proposed for 35-42?? I'm really not going to have a view out of my window if its that tall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I believe the "separate thread" is actually about a different building. There does not appear to be any movement on the 1500 Smith development. Brookfield seems to be focusing, for now at least, on their Gateway site development. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I believe the "separate thread" is actually about a different building. There does not appear to be any movement on the 1500 Smith development. Brookfield seems to be focusing, for now at least, on their Gateway site development.yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Brookfield is describing the spot as ideal for more than just an office tower now:The site offers a prime location for a hotel, residential and/or restaurant/retail concept, or could accommodate a 500,000-square-foot office tower with 25,000-30,000 square foot floor plateshttp://www.brookfieldproperties.com/content/houston/1500_smith_street-5497.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Brookfield is describing the spot as ideal for more than just an office tower now:http://www.brookfieldproperties.com/content/houston/1500_smith_street-5497.htmlIn-place infrastructure exists, including parking and loading dock.Well, thank goodness. Because if I'm splashing out $50 brazillion wedging a new skyscraper onto Smith Street, you know I'm going to want to cheap out on the loading dock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Well let's hope nothing gets in their way to get started on this thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted October 5, 2010 Share Posted October 5, 2010 Wayne made a funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangledwoods Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Quote The flier says something like 'unparalleled tunnel access.' Last I checked, the Skanska project has 5 tunnel connections. Also I think we should all remember that Linebeck, Skanska, and Hines are all chasing the same group of potential tenants. I think we will see one of the three go in the next year maybe two if we are lucky. Now the good news is that there is a 50ish story tower that will beat all 3 of these out of the ground. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 A 50 story proposed other than the three you just mentioned? How confident are you of this information? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Owl Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 gotta be referring to the Chevron tower... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangledwoods Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 A 50 story proposed other than the three you just mentioned? How confident are you of this information?  gotta be referring to the Chevron tower...  I am pretty confident with my intel  the only thing I haven't been able to get firm on is a start date, but everything I hear leads me to believe we will see it break ground in the next 12 months. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I am pretty confident with my intel  the only thing I haven't been able to get firm on is a start date, but everything I hear leads me to believe we will see it break ground in the next 12 months.  Hmmm.... Are you referring to the Allen tower? What is it... Allen 5? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Hmmm.... Are you referring to the Allen tower? What is it... Allen 5?HThe chevron tower and 5 Allen are different 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangledwoods Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I was referring to Chevron. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasta Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 I was referring to Chevron. Can you tell us more about this project...I am not familiar with it unless it was one of those towers that were floated out a few years back. Is Chevron running the design of this building instead of it being a pure Spec building? This has a HUGE implication on it being a trophy tower instead of a 'safe' building hoping to attract tenants. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 H The chevron tower and 5 Allen are different  Right. I didn't realize he was talking about Chevron.  Can we at least know what part of the city it's going to be built in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Owl Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Right. I didn't realize he was talking about Chevron. Â Can we at least know what part of the city it's going to be built in? Â on the former YMCA block Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangledwoods Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 on the former YMCA block I am starting to think that King Owl and I have the same sources! I can tell you that the Architect has been selected and this will be a tower built specifically for Chevron. Word on the street is that this project will be their response to the Exxon project so I think we can expect this to be much nicer than your typical spec office building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClutchCity Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013  Word on the street is that this project will be their response to the Exxon project.  A response to Exxon's campus would have to be 70+ stories! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxman Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 A response to Exxon's campus would have to be 70+ stories!  No, a revival of the Bank of the Southwest Tower. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoothrewpoo Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I am pretty confident with my intel  the only thing I haven't been able to get firm on is a start date, but everything I hear leads me to believe we will see it break ground in the next 12 months.  It' scheduled to complete Q3 of 2016, with them (the big C) occupying in Q4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoothrewpoo Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Last I checked, the Skanska project has 5 tunnel connections.  Also I think we should all remember that Linebeck, Skanska, and Hines are all chasing the same group of potential tenants. I think we will see one of the three go in the next year maybe two if we are lucky. Now the good news is that there is a 50ish story tower that will beat all 3 of these out of the ground. By all accounts, it will end up being 46/47 stories, with 28k sf floor plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Owl Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 By all accounts, it will end up being 46/47 stories, with 28k sf floor plates. Are you referring to the Hines or the Chevron tower? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I think we will be hearing from a major media outlet about the chevron tower tomorrow. Don't we have an old dedicated thread about this? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I think we will be hearing from a major media outlet about the chevron tower tomorrow. Don't we have an old dedicated thread about this?Where did you hear that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I think we will be hearing from a major media outlet about the chevron tower tomorrow. Don't we have an old dedicated thread about this?  We do now! I think there was some oblique discussion of this in the 5 Allen Center topic.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) I think we will be hearing from a major media outlet about the chevron tower tomorrow. Don't we have an old dedicated thread about this?It's not dedicated to Chevron like I thought, but here it is. No need to google:http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Houston-s-downtown-skyline-to-be-reshaped-4364923.php?t=fa84c9cb773b9e5e12&t=fa84c9cb77Actually, read the article. Hines to break ground early next year. No new news on Chevron. Linbeck will be 750,000 sqf. No start date yet. Edited March 19, 2013 by lockmat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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